Federal Oats Mills

Located at the Bukit Minyak Halal Hub Industrial Park, Penang, Federal Oats Mills (FOM) was constructed in 2020 and awarded the PAM Award for Excellence in 2020. The new factory became the new manufacturing base of which previously operated at the Mak Mandin Industrial Park at Butterworth since the 50’s. The new factory serves as a new vision and symbol for the 57 years old company to reach a greater milestone with the three-fold increase in production capacity. Sleek, industrial surfaces and clean volumetric edges give the facade a “perfectionist” restraint, one that allows the building to expand or evolve without compromising its overall composition. The use of COLORBOND® steel allows for an interplay between clean cut steel and crude concrete textured walls to arise providing a tactilely rich experience.

Rooted in a brutalist “form follows function” approach, FOM’s predominant volumetric expression is shaped directly by the manufacturing process itself. From the storage silos through the manufacturing plant, packing department, administration center, and finally the warehouse, each volume reads as an honest articulation of its role within this production sequence. This creates a legible building that reads the same from the inside and outside. FOM balances the industrial rigour with human comfort through passive daylight strategies and communal spaces

The building primarily uses textured concrete walls and COLORBOND® steel where the clean cut precision of the steel plays against the crude, textured surface of the concrete to create a striking material dialogue across the facade. This dialogue echoes the industrial nature of the building, pairing the machine-finished, industrial quality of steel with the textured concrete.Moreover, the COLORBOND® steel provides a material rhythm to the building, catching and reflecting light opposing the dullness from the concrete, creating a shifting rhythm throughout the day. Together, the materials reinforce the building’s industrial characteristics whilst grounding the large industrialness of the site in a tactile and human-scaled architecture.

The building’s volumetric expression is tectonically honest, expressing its volumes through its functions from the storage silos to the manufacturing plant. It articulates the production process through the building’s form. The concrete contrasts with COLORBOND® steel to heighten the building’s brutalist characteristics and highlight the volumes of the building to create a sculptural and industrial quality.

FOM provides spaces for community and gathering, notably the sky garden which is placed centrally within the site acting as a communal space for staff. It acts as a place to gather and socialise to take a break from work, encouraging interaction between workers. Beyond everyday use, the sky garden also doubles as a venue for office functions and events, reinforcing its role as the social heart of the facility

As the building ages and expands, the materials continue to express themselves as intended. The durability of the COLORBOND® steel keeps the appearance sleek, being resistant to corrosion, fading, and general weathering in the harsh industrial environment. This allows the building to remain functional while maintaining the building’s crisp industrial aesthetic. The material choices allow for long-term resilience and for the overall facade to age gracefully with minimal maintenance.

The building uses passive daylighting as a sustainability strategy for the proposal, reducing dependency on artificial lighting, lowering the building’s overall energy consumption. Skylights flood the double volume central void spilling diffused natural light into workspaces, and circulation areas. With strategic placements of openings, the building stays well lit whilst providing views outwards and creating a healthy work environment with natural light.